Beijing: China will strengthen its handling of criminal cases involving drunken driving, according to new guidelines released on Monday.
Jointly issued by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice, the guidelines specify 15 scenarios subject to heavier punishment under the law, including the driving of a school bus with teachers and students aboard or transporting hazardous materials. The guidelines, which take effect on Dec 28, also specify 10 scenarios in which a suspended sentence shall not apply, including hit-and-run, driving under the influence of psychotropic drugs or narcotic drugs controlled by the State, and obstructing justice.
In May 2011, the Criminal Law introduced the crime of dangerous driving, with drunken driving being an example of this behavior. In December 2013, a document issued by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice clarified the criteria for drunken driving and standardized case-handling procedures, according to an official from the procuratorate.
Since then, the number of fatal traffic accidents caused by drunken driving has fallen significantly. The new guidelines aim to adapt to changing situations of drunken driving crimes, unify law enforcement and judicial standards, and strictly regulate drunken driving cases, the official said. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
